The Land Use Team is involved with departments which include the Planning Commission and Department, the Building Inspection Commission and Building Department, the Department of Public Works, the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board, the Board of Appeals, the Access Appeals Commission, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, the Recreation and Park Department, the Municipal Transportation Agency, the Real Estate Department and Mayor’s Office of Economic and Work Force Development.
In addition to to advising their City clients and ensuring that each is aware of their legal obligations to the City and compliant with local, state and federal laws, the Land Use Team is responsible for defending the City’s land use regulations and project decisions against legal challenge. On many issues, the Land Use Team collaborates with other City Attorney teams, including Code Enforcement, Energy/Telecom, Government, Health, Port, Public Transportation, PUC, and Real Estate and Finance.
The City Attorney’s Land Use Team focuses their work on areas of expertise including public and private project land use entitlements, planning and zoning laws, CEQA, historic preservation, open space acquisition, building permits, subdivisions, use of sidewalks and streets, disabled access, affordable housing and fair housing laws, eminent domain and “takings” law, relocation requirements, and real estate litigation. They also draft and approve as to form amendments to the Planning Code, Public Works Code, Building Code, Subdivision Code, Administrative Code, Housing Code and Plumbing, Electrical and Mechanical Codes.